A new book by Westside music legend Jim Simpson on how Birmingham was the capital of rock ’n’ roll in the 1980s was launched this week.
The Dirty Stop Outs Guide to 1980s Birmingham, penned by Jim and his brother Ron Simpson, was first on sale during a special night at Snobs on Broad Street on Tuesday, attended by more than 100 people. You can watch our video of the event here:
The book takes readers on a trip down memory lane, featuring venues like the Rum Runner, Powerhouse, Hummingbird, Edwards No 8, Burberries and The Crown, with bands ranging from the long forgotten to global stars like Duran Duran and UB40.
Various music legends attended the book launch, including Pete Williams, formerly of Dexys Midnight Runners, and Mark Skirving, of King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys.
Jim’s own career saw him become the first manager of Black Sabbath, going on to launch the Birmingham Jazz Festival, which this year celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Speaking at the launch, Jim said: “I think the 1980s benefitted from an accumulation of the greats and Birmingham was truly the UK capital of rock and roll.
“There were nightclubs everywhere and if a nightclub didn’t do music it didn’t do any business. Live bands proliferated everywhere. Back in the 80s, it was really rocking.”
Jim and Ron are both now aged in their 80s, but as well as their latest book they also publish the award-winning Jazz Rag magazine. This is on top of Jim’s day job as the owner and operator of Big Bear Music, whose offices are in Quayside Tower on Broad Street, from where they produce multiple live bands at Snobs and elsewhere every week.
Many of the photographs in the book are from Dave Travis (pictured below), whose career as a rock photographer working for publications like Sounds and New Musical Express.
He then turned to producing live music on Broad Street in the second half of the 1980s with the Click Club at Burberries (where The Mercian tower is now).
Dave, also at the book launch, said: “I’ve known Jim for 40 years and he asked if he could use some of my photos. It’s nice to get it all into one place, really before everyone forgets – or dies!”
Guest speakers at the book launch included local journalists Adrian Goldberg, a regular on BBC radio and Byline Times, and Steve Dyson, a former editor of the Birmingham Mail, who now runs Dyson Media, organising much of the media coverage on Westside.
They both spoke fondly of their own memories of Birmingham nightlife in the 1980s, and praised the Simpsons’ book on the era.
The Dirty Stop Outs series of guides covering cities across the UK was founded by Sheffield-based publisher Neil Anderson, who also attended the book launch. He can be seen with Jim Simpson in the main picture above.
The Dirty Stop Outs Guide to 1980s Birmingham is available from good bookshops or via www.dirtystopouts.com priced at £21.95.
ENDS
